Gingerbread Muchacho (You Can't Catch Me!) Cupcakes

These are spicy gingerbread cupcakes dipped in semi-sweet chocolate ganache then topped with a mini-gingerbread boys. As I was baking these cupcakes my oldest daughter came into the kitchen and asked what kind of cupcakes that these were I told her that they were gingerbread and the next thing she said was " OU OU ! You should call them "You Can't Catch Me!" It's funny how now everytime I bake a cupcake the first thing that comes to my girls mind is a name for it. For them it has become one of they things that they enjoy about my baking, I guess for them it gives them a sense of belonging and part of my creations. And of course they also must take pride in picking a clever name that their Mom loves!

Feliz Cumpleanos, Bri'shauna!!

Today my oldest turned 12!!! Oh my goodness how the years fly by, well I decided to surprise her by bringing cupcakes to her school. This may not seem like a big deal but she is now in 6th grade which is the middle school and upon leaving elementary school she looked at me and said sadly " Now you won't be able to bring anymore cupcakes to my class".

She thought because there were no longer class parties and maybe because the other kids would think that it was "uncool" to have your mom make cupcakes for you on your birthday" that was going to stop Me! I don't thinks so!! I was set on making her day special "All Day" no matter where she was!

So this morning I marched right into that main office with sweet smelling cupcakes in tow, I proudly asked the secretary to please call my daughter down to the office ( I have to admit I was secretly saying to myself ...please don't let her be angry....Please don't let her be angry) But she walked through those doors and her response was PRICELESS!

When she saw her special birthday treat she exclaimed OH MOMMY, THANK YOU, AND I'M IN MR CHINERY'S CLASS! ( This is her favorite teacher who always uses her mommies cupcakebusiness as an example for the class, and in whose class I might add she received an A+!) Then she gave me a great big hug and kiss, I even heard one of the secretaries say I wish I had a mom like that!

Needless to say as I left the building I was floating on cloud nine and was happy I could make her day that much more special, and when she came home she said that all of the kids loved the cupcakes and they said that her mom was sooo cool!!

Ahhh!! Mission Accomplished!

Happy Birthday, Bri'shauna. I Love You!

They're One!!

Justin and Kyan (my little, little,cousins)

Time goes so fast, it seems like just yesterday my family and I were eagerly awaiting the arrival of these adorable twins, memories of the doctors whisking them past us in the waiting room so fast that we could barely get a glimpse of the hair on their little heads.

Well Now They're One and I couldn't be more excited to celebrate this day with them and even more excited to make their very First Birthday Cake!!

I can't forget to add that the entire idea for the theme of this cake came when my little one Bianca said "Mommy, you should make a cake with Kyan and Justin sitting next to each other in a basketball outfit and a football outfit, with candy and toys all around them" I told her that sounded perfect to me. So that is exactly what I did.....of course with Bianca right by my side making sure I create her vision the right way!

When Donut Meets Cupcake!

This cupcake is like a jelly donut within a cupcake swirled with buttercream topped with donut glaze. Well actually that's exactly what it is, Here are the details.....vanilla cupcake filled with raspberry jam swirled with coffee buttercream made with Dunkin Donuts Coffee (because we all know America runs on Dunkin!) then the cupcake is covered in warm vanilla donut glaze. mmmm.

Now for the name of this cupcake, a few ran through my mind Raspberry Rush Hour, Monday Morning Mantra..nahhh! One thing is for sure I have a fond affection for glaze donuts and Latin music and keeping with the theme of giving my cupcakes Latin inspired names the only logical name for this cupcake is ...ENRIQUE IGLAZESIAS!! I know, I know corny but cute.

Gonna Make a Pie....Or a Cupcake.

This cupcake is a direct request from my daughter Bianca who has an infacuation with marshmallows and the movie Waitress. It is a chocolate cupcake covered in homemade vanilla fluff mounded with colorful mini-marshmallows.

I call them Sirena, but she calls them Mermaid Marshmallow Mushies. I like her name better.

The Mambo-Tango

No, this is not a dance but another Brown Sugar creation that was inspired by countless summers eating orange sherbert ice cream cones dipped in chocolate sprinkles. It is a vanilla cupcake stuffed with a tangerine marmalade jelly and swirled with a tangerine vanilla buttercream. Just for fun I added a passion fruit cherry.

I have to admit it took my awhile to actually commit to eating the cherry, I think it was the whole orange color will it taste good thing. After the fear subsided I finally took a chance and found out that this cherry( or maybe I should call it orangerry) was actually pretty good and the flavor complemented the cupcake very well.

Back to School Cookies

My daughter Bianca celebrated her first day of Kindergarten on Wensday(sniff sniff). Every year on their first day of school I like to send my children with goodies to share with their class.

I think it helps ease the pain of the first day because they feel like they have something special to share with their new classmates and I hope that the children in the class would enjoy getting a special surprise treat on the first day, I know I would. So for the big day I made smiley face cookie pops. I thought cookie pops would be better for the class rather than cupcakes.

I figure if the teacher didn't want the childeren to eat them for their snack they could always take them home.